One, Is it better/easier/cheaper to get a whole new intercom setup with wireless features, or a wireless
unit that ties into our existing
system? Two, what products are there out there that are not incredibly
1. Most all mainstream wireless intercom bridge into Clearcom and
RTS systems rather easily. No sense in getting a whole new
system, especially because I know of no wireless
system that will act as a
power supply for a wired
system.
2. Solid products tend to cost a fair
bit of money, it's also an especially poor time to invest in traditional wireless
intercom systems because of the upcoming wireless spectrum re-allocation. Traditional products like the
Telex BTR-800 (or the older CoachCom BTR-200) might be found cheap on eBay, but it's moderately buy at your own risk because of the availability of spare parts and the difficulties in tuning older intercom - same goes for older HME
intercom systems. ClearCom Tempest gen. 1 stuff can be found cheap (manufactured by Pliant, who makes the CrewCom mentioned above) but it's still not what I'd consider school friendly both in terms of budget and setup (used they are still going for $2k on the main station and $1k on the beltpacks).
If you do buy an older
system, try to buy it as an entire set and understand that in a few years, it may not be usable. Wireless intercom is moderately bandwidth intensive, and all the manufacturers have been slowly walking away from manufacturing
UHF wireless intercom. Clearcom's entire range, minus an updated model of the BTR-800, is all in gHz range.
RTS (
Telex) is all manufacturing in the gHz and
VHF ranges, has narrowband options in the
UHF range and still sells their usual BTR in the
UHF range, but it is no longer the only option. The newcomers to the intercom game are all going
VHF, gHz, or coming to market with various hybrid approaches - it's a pretty interesting time to be an observer and watch these market shifts. If nothing else, the sell-off is creating some innovation in this field in both the actual transmission technology, and in the user interfaces.
As for a budget-friendly option, I haven't used them, but the EarTec stuff does seem mighty inexpensive, and has an interface box for ClearCom. They are so inexpensive that I wouldn't trust them to be the best most durable and highest audio quality, but they are an option.
).
